Indicating device.



NITED STATES PATENT OFFICE.

CHARLES D. WEAVER, OF GREELEY, COLORADO.

lNDlCATING DEVICE.

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent No. 658,744, dated September 25, 1900.

Application filed January 15, 1900. $erial No. 1,577. (No model.)

To all whom it may concern.-

Be it known that 1, CHARLES D. WEAVER, a citizen of the United States of America, re-

siding at Greeley, in the county of Weld and- State of Colorado, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Indicating Devices; and I do declare the following to be a full, clear, and exact description of the invention, such as will enable others skilled in the art to which it appertains to make and use the same, reference being had to the accompanying drawings, and to the figures of reference marked thereon, which form a part of this specification.

My invention relates to an improved indieating device adapted for use by physicians and others, whereby callers at the office in the absence of an attendant may be informed as to the whereabouts of the person they wish to consult and how long he will probably be absent. This object I accomplish by the use of the mechanism illustrated in the accompanying drawings, in which Figure 1 is a front view of a cabinet or case provided with the upward indicating device. Fig. 2 is a section taken on the line X X, Fig. 1. Fig. 3 shows a portion of the intelligencerstrip. Fig. 4 is a detail view of the key for operating the device.

Similar reference characters indicating corresponding parts in these views, let the numeral 5 designate a suitable support provided with a hinged door 5. Upon the inside of this door are mounted two rolls 10, to which is attached a strip of material 12, forming an intelligencer-strip, upon which is printed information adapted to apply to the whereabouts of the person sought. This intelligencer-strip is arranged to pass between a piece of glass 13 or other. suitable transparent material and the panel 15, attached to the door on the inside, the panel'being so attached as to leave a space between it and th top of the door for the purpose.

The glass 13 closes an opening 14:, formed in the door. In a portion of the intelligencerstrip occupied by a'statement, such as Will return at, is formed one or more openings 12, adapted to disclose a dial 16, provided with hands connected with suitable mechanism l7, operated by a toothed wheel 18, upon whose spindle is mounted a small knob or disk 19, by the turning of which the hands of the dial may be set to indicate the time when the absent person will return. The rolls 10 may be operated by keys 20, which, together with the knob 19, may be detached from their posts or spindlesand the key 21, (see Fig. 4,) carried by the owner, used to operate all of the said parts, whereby tampering with the device by unauthorized persons is prevented.

There may be any desired number of openings 12 for exposing the clock-dial. They are preferably only large enough to properly perform this function. Hence it becomes practicable to expose the clock-dial only when it is desired to tell the caller the exact time when the absent person will return. At all other times the said dial is concealed by a portion of the strip, either blank or containing other information, such as Out of town, Ill at home, Will return Friday, 850; 7

It is evident that time-indicating means other than the clock-dial may be employed in connection with the intelligencerstrip without departing from the spirit of the invention.

Having thus described my invention, what I claim is-- 1. The combination with a suitable support, of two rollers journaled therein, an intelligencer-strip mounted on the rollers and arranged to travel by turning one of them, a time-indicating device located behind said strip which is provided with an opening through which the said device may be exposed at will.

2. The combination with a suitable support of rolls journaled therein and arranged to be operated from the outside of the support, an intelligencer-strip mounted on. said rolls, the support being provided with an opening in front of the strip, a panel attached to the support in the rear of said opening, and in front of which said strip is adapted to move, a dial mounted on said support behind the intelligencer-strip, and provided with movable hands, the intelligencer-strip being provided with an opening to expose the clock-dial when the latter is needed, the arrangement being such that the said dial is concealed at other times.

In testimony whereof I affix my signature in presence of two witnesses.

CHARLES D. WEAVER.

Witnesses:

JOHN A. WEAVER, THOMAS B. HUSTON. 

